The Democrats Abroad Global Veterans and Military Families (VMF) Caucus urges all of our members, including other Americans living both stateside and abroad, to contact your U.S. representative and urge him or her to cosponsor and support the passage of H.R. 439, the Veterans Foreign Medical Coverage Equality and Modernization Act. This issue is a top legislative priority for the VMF Caucus for the 119th Congress to address.
If your Member of Congress is any of the following individuals, please send them a note of thanks and gratitude for already being cosponsors of H.R. 439.
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Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY-1) Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV-3) Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-2) Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16) Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA-46) Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-1) Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) Rep. Don Davis (D-NC-1) Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-3) Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) |
Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY-4) Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) Rep. André Carson (D-IN-7) Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA-7) Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-2) Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) |
However, if your lawmaker is not shown above, then read on.
For your convenience, below is a template that you can use to copy and paste to send to your U.S. Representative’s official (not campaign) website on his or her “Contact Me” form. We encourage you to customize the language to your liking and to add a personal story on this issue if you have one to share. You are also encouraged to send any response you receive from your representative on this issue by forwarding your legislator’s e-mail to: [email protected].
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Dear Representative ____________,
As your constituent, I write to strongly urge you to cosponsor H.R. 439, the Veterans Foreign Medical Coverage Equality and Modernization Act. As this bill addresses an important health care issue specifically affecting veterans who live or travel abroad, passage of H.R. 439 is a top priority for the military-connected community overseas, myself included.
As you may be aware, there are no Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities located abroad, except for one outpatient clinic with limited services located in Manila, the Philippines. For the tens of thousands of veterans and their families overseas but not living in Manila, the VA offers the Foreign Medical Program (FMP), a “pay-now, get-reimbursed-later-by-VA” service within the VA’s Community Care programs. To be clear, FMP is specifically intended for individuals who are service-connected disabled veterans living or traveling abroad.
Veterans living stateside who are VA-rated as 100% permanent and total (commonly known as “P&T”) are considered our nation’s most seriously disabled veterans, and they can access their VA Health Care needs anywhere within the U.S., including for medical services unrelated to their service-connection. For example, if a veteran is service-connected for a knee injury that occurred three decades ago while on Active Duty, that same veteran rated 100% P&T can still go to any VA to seek medical care for a broken wrist from a sports accident that happened yesterday.
However, veterans living abroad who are rated 100% P&T are ineligible to obtain the same medical services for non-service-connected injuries or illnesses as those veterans located stateside. Using the same veteran example as above, the veteran needing care for a broken wrist is unable to receive reimbursement for medical care due to the VA’s policy within FMP to only cover service-connected conditions. To have a completely separate policy simply because the veteran lives or travels abroad was never the intent of Congress when it comes to taking care of our veteran population.
Furthermore, VA-rated 100% P&T veterans are eligible to participate in the VA’s Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). Under this program, family members of the 100% P&T veteran, including those abroad, are able to have their healthcare needs met through CHAMPVA. This is worth repeating: the dependents of the 100% P&T veteran can receive their healthcare needs met through the VA, but the veteran himself/herself cannot. The VA’s current FMP policy is inherently unfair – but thankfully, H.R. 439, if passed, would level the playing field. The legislation would finally address veterans’ calls for FMP reform by allowing 100% P&T veterans abroad to get their non-service-connected needs met, something that is incredibly long overdue.
The VA has long ago broken its promise of caring for “all” veterans, as veterans living or traveling OCONUS have for years been unable to obtain the same level of health care services as veterans CONUS they have earned while in service to our nation. That is why it is critical that Congress not kick this can down the road any longer, and it must advance this legislation if we are serious as a nation about taking care of the wounded veterans who have already sacrificed beyond belief to protect our freedoms.
Please note that H.R. 439 is bipartisan legislation, and several of your colleagues who are current cosponsors are veterans themselves, and they understand the ongoing plight of 100% P&T disabled veterans. The legislation is also publicly endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), American Citizens Abroad (ACA), Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO), and even more notable organizations.
Again, it is important to me and the military-connected community that Congress swiftly passes the Veterans Foreign Medical Coverage Equality and Modernization Act. At a time when partisan politics divides many Americans and many Members of Congress, this unique community of disabled American heroes living abroad deserves the VA Health Care coverage they have earned through service in uniform, regardless of where they call home nowadays.
I look forward to seeing your name soon listed as a cosponsor to H.R. 439. Thank you for your time, and I respectfully request your emailed response to this message to prevent any delays in knowing your stance on this important issue.
Sincerely, your constituent,
[your name]
[your e-mail address]
_________
U.S. citizens living abroad, both civilian and military, are highly encouraged to check your voter registration status and request your ballot for any upcoming elections in your home voting state that you are eligible to vote in.
The VMF Caucus, proudly comprising veterans, military family members, DoD civilians, and strong allies of veteran and military family causes, has approximately 1,400 members located in dozens of countries.
For questions pertaining to this statement, please reach out to